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So, I have been doing lasercut terrain for a while for my new gaming group, mainly, elevated platforms (and a radar dish)



The radar also has the new columns on the corners instead of the faces, yeah, don't ask what was I thinking when I put them in the middle.



Tons more images on the lasercut terrain:
So, with so much modular terrain, it was time to do some walls, so we could easily make fortresses and defensive walls, as cool as we wanted. However, with as surface intensive as those walls are, material usage goes up the roof.
I should add that I only use 2mm thick MDF, because it gives the best scale performance, however, I must import it from UK, since it is not for sale in spain. Not that it is expensive, even with shipping, but because of the hassle, I shouldn't spend material as crazy.

And then, an Idea struck me. Why not make the structure, and then cover it with cardboard?
The ones in the photos have been prototyped with paper, but the concept is sound. I plan to actually cover the whole wall thickness (you can see a bit of a balcony on top).
It is of course more labor intensive than all mdf walls, but, I save TONS of material.


I have added holes for magnets, so the walls become a single unit



I'll also cover the "balcony" but as a test, I didn't want to bother trying


dadad

Very very cool stuff.

A few friends of mine and I have considered pooling our money and getting a laser cutter, but honestly I am not sure if we have the design skills to make the layouts.

These are really cool. If you have any learning or ideas to share about something like (from designing the things, to the trial and error of making them) would love to know!

First of all, a laser cutter is an awesome tool for mdf, balsa wood and acrylic. It shouldn't cut anything with C in it's chemical name, like PVC (that stands for chlorine, wich is EXTREMELY poisonous and it will also destroy your laser, in time.)

As for design...that just requires practice, nothing more. CAD drawing is way easier than 3D software, you just draw shapes on a canvas, take care about scale, and the laser will cut every line you draw.

I say that first, because I do not want to discourage you in any way, on the next paragraphs.

With that said, buying a laser between a group of persons requires trust, TONS of it. Why? because it is an expensive machine, wich should not be moved frequently. Also, depending on how much you are going to spend, it will also require an technical savvy person.

You have two options:

Either buy a cheap 1000€ (800€ laser + 200€ in upgrades (cheap TB6560 controller board, air compressor, air assist nozzle, various bits) Also you require an electronics technician or some electronics savvy person to make the upgrades and learn how the machine operates. After some modifications, it will cut an area no big than 300x230mm, wich is not much.
I have spent nearly four months until my machine has performed reasonably well. Not that it requires so much time, but risking damage to an expensive machine scares a lot, and you can indeed do damage it if you're not careful. I do not recommend this route, unless you are, or have around, an electronics technician or better.

OR

spend 2000+€ in a more comercial machine, based on the previous one, but already upgraded and much better. (this does not require electronics knowledge, but...well, thats a TON of money.

After stating those two options, it all just depends on a third factor: Will you make scenery worth that much money? (I don't mean for sale, I mean, will you and your friends, given time, spend that much money in scenery?

Option two: wait another 3 years until 3D printing becomes really commonplace.

Other than that: Very nice terrain, do like a lot. Say, do you mind uploading the tempates for all to use? I don't think many people around here have a laser cutter but those who might have access - workshop workers, university employees... - would probably love to give it a spin. You could get your own lasercutter-community started

Well done mate....

Would you take orders?? That radar dish is great....

@Kosake: I don't think 3D printing might stomp on lasercutting so easily. Building 3D structures, especially with filament printing, would take ages. Even printing it flat and doing some assembly, would require a high amount of time, compared to lasercut. Please, don't think I'm biased about one or other machine (I have both), and I really think that they are complementary. However, especially for industrial terrain, lasercutting is the way to go for flat surfaces.

As for sharing, why not? XD

It's attached on the message, here's a screenshot of it's contents, in DXF format. Operational Gearbox is my Facebook page for everything I make (not always wargaming related), I thought I just would throw it in.

Cool stuff!

Oooh, lucky you. 3D Print and lasercutting at your disposition? So much potential...

@ Kosake: Well, I don't own a car...that is a lot of money not spent in gas and taxes (and car, obbiously)

@ Darefsky: Thanks!

Today I made another wall set with some corrections, and went to my friend's shop to assemble the structures. I mentally superimposed the coverages and it looked really really cool.

Now, some photos:

Beautiful. Are the templates for the stairs located on your other site?

Also, what material do you use there? Looks like some sort of cardboard...

I want to redesign the stairs, they are missing some millimetres (look at the one that goes from the walkway to the radar dish, it sits at an odd angle). Once I redesign it, I'll post them here.

I'm using 2mm MDF. Half as thin as what commercial kits go. Just because it allows me greater detail. I suppose that instead of rock-solid/tank proof terrain, I prefer to do it more like a model, comparatively more fragile, but better looking (for me)

If you do get them cut, let me know what the quote was. I'm afraid that the multitude of holes in there, will push the price over the roof...(and probably into orbit)

These are pretty sweet I must say.

I like, if you were ever willing to make some to sell let me know what and how much

@ Johhnytorrance: Will do ^^

@Kosake: Didn't had to redesign anything, the stairs are ok. It looks that way because I was using an older version with a higher tower due to bad calibration on a laser axis.

Operational Gearbox link. Beware!, not everything wargaming-related.

Finally got to start doing the area templates. It looks quite good to me. Of course, this is a lot more elaborate than having flat wood panels that you just have to glue, BUT it is much more cheap. Pick your poison, I prefer this one.

Also, yes, that is a Rogue Trader marine painted as a bronze sculpture.

Cutting cardboard by hand is so yesterday...



Also, it allows you to cut AND engrave the bending points, so you only have to fold by hand (no post marking needed for easy bending). It has the added benefit of allowing tons of wall colors. I went for the classical cement dark gray, but you can make brown, or red (or pink or purple) walls with ease. So fun!




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This represents about five hours of work. I think it looks nice enough, especially since I don't have to paint anything.



All the towers are at our wargaming place, so I had to use a spare piece I had around.


That would be a nice wall to defend or attack. Might design a door for that, tough, something compatible with the already existing walkways.

Looks good. Exactly how I would imagine some sort of quick prefab fortress would look in the 40k universe.

Probably would remind me a bit of the outpost from starship troopers once I see it all together too.

Yeah, however, now that I have some real walls around, I have realized this is not the way to go (in angles). As of now, I cannot do concave walls, wich makes for a bit of a difficult fortress shape. I'm going to angle long and short walls to matching 45º and see what happens. Probably I'll have to do some special angles for the triangular columns, but still, a whole lot more modular than right now.

Anyhow, to me, looks like a gorgeous wall for the meantime.


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And these are the modifications I was mentioning. Now you only neeed four pieces to completely enclose a walkway column, instead of eight (four straight short, plus four angled). This not only simplifies, but also allows for square concave angles in walls, so it's a win-win. (besides, you have to assemble less wall sections for the same area. ^^



Yep, some corrections have to be made in the cardboard coverage. It is missing a millimetre on each side.


Also, this was today's first battle (improvised) with the previous walls. It's obvious that magnets where not installed, as walls had a slight tendency to separate. Still, they make for an awesome addition to our terrain pool: